It was set to bring millions into the economy, hundreds of jobs and save hours on international travel. But a supersonic jet project in Melbourne has fallen apart.
Citing the current financial environment, the company has pulled the plug on building the new facility
Had it been build in Melbourne, the factory would have created 675 high-wage tech jobs
Nevada-based Aerion Corporation is shutting down operations, citing a lack of capital to build their planes.
More than 600 jobs were on the way as part of a $375 million jet factory.
In April Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Aerion Supersonic was relocating its global headquarters to a more than 100 acre spot at the airport.
There they would build supersonic aircraft.
But now, citing the current financial environment, the company is pulling the plug on its $375 million factory, and the 675 high-wage tech jobs coming with it.
Nevada-based Aerion Supersonic was expected to bring at least 675 high-paying jobs to the Space Coast by 2026, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Economic Development Commission of Florida s Space Coast officials announced in April 2020.
The company had planned to build the $120 million AS2 supersonic business jet in Melbourne. In a tweet last week, the company promoted its future plane as boomless, sustainable, Mach 1-plus transportation, and ready to take flight in late 2024 or early 2025.
During a March FLORIDA TODAY interview, President and CEO Tom Vice said his company employed a workforce of about 150. About 25 employees worked from a leased Melbourne office at the airport-owned Aerospace Center off Apollo Boulevard.
Aerion Supersonic, which had plans to build silent business jets that would travel twice as fast as most commercial airplanes, is shutting down operations. The company, which had backing from Boeing, said it was unable to raise the money to build its AS2 supersonic jet.